Not Giving Up Anything....

Believe it or not, it was never my dream to become a concert photographer. 


Yeah, you read that right. *shrugs* Nope. Never was. 


I have always taken photos though...of anything and everything. I started out with my father's old Canon AE1, taking pictures of the scenery, the drag races, car shows.. whatever I was into at the time. 


I still have and old Canon AE1.. I just don't use it anymore. (Although, after a long, animated, and sometimes heated discussion with one Mr. Rathbone in Vegas back in August, I think I've been talked back into picking up the film camera again, just to find the joy in taking photos that I used to have.) It seriously needs to be serviced because it hasn't been used in probably at least 15 years. But it will use it again. There is entirely too much prettiness here in Tennessee to not capture it in photos. 


But, I digress. 


As I was saying, I never set OUT to be a concert shooter.. it just kind of ended up that way when the gorgeous Shanna Crooks liked my photos I took of her on stage. So, with that in mind, the next several shows, I TRIED to take good photos of her, succeeded, and the rest is history. 


Word spread, and soon I ended up taking photos for several people, just because they liked my photos. And I liked making them happy. That is pretty much how it started. I liked making people happy with the photos that I took, so I continued to take them. Then people started asking me to come and take photos. That made me feel GREAT. And the photos were ALWAYS appreciated. Still are, for the few folks that I take them for on a regular basis. 


But lately, I have lost the joy that I used to take in shooting the concerts I've been going to, and it has shown in the photos that I take. The quality of my work has been going downhill steadily, and I have noticed that. I have a theory on why this is, but it's nothing that I'm ready to share with the public at the moment. Just, suffice it to say.. I'm ready to step back and take a break from it all, and just.. give it up.


I still love photography.. and capturing amazing images and moments that would otherwise be lost to us. But, I think I need to just regain my perspective on it. 


When I was trying to do it for money, I lost the joy in it because it became a JOB. When I was just doing it for fun, I loved it. That is what I need to get back to if I am going to continue to take pictures. So, I need to walk away from that side of it... and give up the idea of making any money on it, and just do it because I love to do it.   


So, this weekend in California is going to be all about the fun that can be had with a camera. Gaining new perspective on a hobby that I used to do for the love of it. 


So really.. I'm not giving up anything. I'm going to GAIN more in the long run.